८ एप्रिल, २०२१

"Say f*** it, put on a your string bikini, and imagine that you're a golddigger who created your own happy ending and is now giving all the cash you scored to the resistance behind your conser[v]ative husband's back."

That's a photo caption by Lena Dunham that appears with a photo in "Lena Dunham's most body-positive photos on Instagram" (NY Post). 

It's an interesting collection of photos with captions straining at humorousness. Though the Post assumes it's all body positivity because Dunham is, we're told, a "vocal advocate of body positivity," the text and pictures don't show unalloyed positivity. Unalloyed positivity would be inane. And inconsistent with comedy.

If inane, uncomic expression of the experience of female embodiment is what you want, read this other NY Post article, "Khloé Kardashian breaks silence, talks body image struggles after unwanted photo saga." 

Kardashian has a problem with the publication of a photograph of her in a bikini looking like a reasonably nice, ordinary woman. It runs counter to her public image as a beautiful woman, part of a beautiful-women family. How can she fight that without expressing negativity about her body, making the ordinary women of the world feel bad about themselves, and looking like she's on the wrong side of the body-positivity movement? Here's the quote she (or her people) came up with:

"The photo that was posted this week is beautiful. But as someone who has struggled with body image her whole life, when someone takes a photo of you that isn’t flattering in bad lighting or doesn’t capture your body the way it is after working so hard to get it to this point — and then shares it to the world — you should have every right to ask for it to not be shared — regardless of who you are."

FROM THE EMAIL: A reader named Roz writes: 

Lena Dunham displays her unfortunately grotesque physique (nttawwt,) semi-humorously while one of the Kardashian girls asks for a photo to not be published because it is not a perfectly edited photo of her rather gorgeous looking body. Each woman has body positivity issues. Which one is more screwed up?

My vote is for Dunham. The Kardashian girl actually works out and takes care of her health so if I had to make a judgment I’d say she has more positivity towards her body and is in fact a healthier person, she’s a better role model.

Of course this could be due to genetics and she had a head start, but Dunham revels in her obesity which is not healthy. Even if you have a positive attitude towards your obesity you are more prone to diabetes and that’s not good.

Dunham suggests someone who is a golddigger give her money to the resistance? That’s kind of a twisted unrealistic mind imo it’s lame humor. The golddigger depends on “her man” for her income and her lifestyle so she’s the last person who is going to upset the system which keeps her in appointed in Gucci and LV. Dunham is actually insulting women who exploit the assets she doesn’t possess.

I don’t think that Dunham’s self deprecating humor and exhibitionism under the guise of being a body positivity activist is a sign of health either. Imo it’s a sad need for attention from someone who grew up in a household with famous parents. Maybe some women can get encouragement from the thought that if Dunham can look like that and feel good about herself then what am I complaining about?

I don't know which one is more screwed up, but I do think Dunham has done more with her mind. And I care more about how these 2 contributors to the pop culture have helped or hurt the consumers of the material they've created. Which one has screwed other people up the most? I think the Kardashians have done more harm, with so much shallowness, artificiality, and conformist beauty obsessions. Dunham isn't fooling anyone into thinking it's not unhealthy to be obese. She's showing herself as she is and as many people — not hiding herself away. 

I agree that the golddigger fantasy is inconsistent with feminism, but that does make it transgressive — for a feminist. It would be more transgressive if the rich husband wasn't conservative.

AND:

 

@catlady_37

#khloekardashian #kardashian #kimkardashian #bodyimage #facetune #photoshop #kyliejenner #jenner #bodydysphormia #mentalhealthmatters #fyp

♬ original sound - CatLady37 😸🐈🐈‍⬛🐈
ALSO: More from Roz:
I don't follow the pop culture very closely so while I agreed with you that Lena has done more with her mind, turns out that Lena and Khloe are actually friends and collaborators. Who knew?

She links to "Khloé Kardashian Discusses Her Spirituality in Lena Dunham’s Lenny Newsletter/'When you think Kardashian, devout probably isn’t the first thing that crosses your mind.'" 

[Khloe] details what it was like growing up with a Christian Armenian household, and the ways in which she has come to “believe with every fiber of [her] being that there is a higher power”.... “I’m very conversational with God and spirits,” she writes. “I talk to myself and to them but sometimes unconventionally. I’ll be lying in bed and just say out loud, ‘Lord, thank you so much for keeping my brother and sisters healthy!’ Every night I say my prayers, often with my nieces and nephews. I talk a lot to my dad if I’m feeling something where I wish he were here to guide me . . . I like to give praise and gratitude. I know how fortunate I am.”